CN LINES V12N3 - Canadian National Railways Historical Association

Table 4:
CN Shop Assignments:
November 1, 1975
Source: CN records
courtesy of Wendell Lemon
Halifax 6100, 6102, 6107
Moncton 6105, 6112, 6200, 6202,
6205, 6206
Point
St. Charles 6207-6210
Spadina 6000-6006, 6106, 6108-6111,
6113-6120, 6203, 6302, 6351,
6355, 6401
Neebing 6121, 6475
Saskatoon 6204, 6350
Calder 6104, 6201, 6356
As you will note from the assignment
tables and the regional discussions to follow,
many CN Railiners wandered over a
considerable area during their service lives
on the CNR.
Atlantic Region (Runs 1 to 13)
The Maritimes had the first CNR
Railiner in service and RDCs served there
continuously through the CN and VIA
eras until the major cutbacks by VIA in
1990. The first RDC service in New
Brunswick began between Newcastle and
Fredericton on Run 8 (Figure 1) in January
1954 with RDC-3 D-100(i). It was based
at South Devon and provided reliable service,
but busses took this run over in
January 1961. This RDC was renumbered
to D-300 in late 1956, and often had a
coach attached. A 1956 book-in register
Wendell Lemon has from South Devon
shows that terminal had steam, the
Railiner, and diesel electrics all sharing the
same seven-stall engine facility. Steam (a
4-6-2) filled in on occasion on Newcastle
to Fredericton trains in the mid-1950s.
The Maritimes had several routes covered
by motor trains before the arrival of
RDCs so they were a natural progression
on secondary runs. As the number of
branch lines served with passenger trains
shrank, so did the number of RDC runs.
However the number of cars in service
actually increased as multi-car consists
became commonplace on the busier
routes.
By January 1972, there were ten CN
RDCs in service in the Maritimes and
these were assigned to either Halifax or
Moncton for service. These Railiners covered
“corridor-like” services between
Sydney–Truro–Halifax and Moncton and
Saint John.
top: RDC-3 No. 6302, at Niagara Falls, Ont., in 1977, wears the transitional paint scheme
that signalled the end of CN service and start of the VIA era.—George Carpenter Collection
above: The same Phase Two unit, in its original number and paint scheme at Truro, N.S.,
in August 1962.—Roger Burrows Collection
below: Phase Two RDC-1 No. 6102, with two more RDC-1s, westbound at Stellarton, N.S.,
on March 23, 1975.—Gary Hadfield photo, courtesy of Matt Kai
Wendell Lemon says, “The RDCs in
Nova Scotia were assigned to Halifax, as
runs originated there to Truro and Sydney
and return. Over the years they served on
train numbers 601 through 608. CN also
had Moncton-based RDC runs off and on
between 1961 and 1978 to Saint John,
Truro, Campbellton, and Edmundston.
At busy times, or a shortage of RDCs,
the runs were filled in with conventional
passenger equipment. Conventional trains
were often run and drove up the costs of a
train or a subdivision.
RDC trains originating from Moncton
before 1960 were ordered from the CNR’s
Lower Yard. After 1960, they were ordered
from Moncton Yard (Hump Yard) where
the driver and conductor picked up their
consist. They proceeded three miles east to
the Lower Yard station to pick up passengers.
After the trip was done, the RDC
returned to Moncton Yard for “tripping.”
This took in wheel and brake inspection,
fuel, water, oil, cleaning, and brake tests.
This was all done outside in good weather.
If two cars were together in the winter and
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